Rein-holder



"(No Model.)

FJW. G. MACDONALD.

I REIN HOLDER.

mines-sea Z is Fife??? eys'x N- PETERS, Pholnuhognphur. Washington, D, (L

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK \V. G. MACDONALD, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

RElN-HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part. of Letters Patent No. 384,988, dated June 26, 1888.

Application filed February 27, 1888. Serial No. 265,394. (No model.)

- To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FREDERICK W. 0. MAC- DONALD, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, residing in Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Rein-Holders, of which the following is a specification.

' My invention relates to improvements in rein-holders.

The object of my invention is to provide an efficient rein-holder of a simple, strong, and durable construction and of an ornamental appearance which may be readily attached to the dash-board of the vehicle, and which will sccurely hold the reins without marring or. injuring them, and at the same time admit of the reins being casil y and quickly inserted or taken out.

To this end my invention consists in a metallic box frame-piece adapted to be secured to the dash-board, having a transverse vertical slot to receive the reins, and provided with a pair of toggle acting spring levers orjaws furnished with yielding cushions at their adjoining ends to close upon the reins and hold them securely.

It also consists in the novel devices and novel combinations of parts and devices herein shown and described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which similar letters of reference indicatelike parts, Figure 1 is a perspective View of a rein-holder embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a horizon tal longitudinal section. Figs. 3 and 4 are cross-sections on lines 3 3 and 4 4, respectively, of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a detail side elevation. Fig. 6 is a detail view of one of the end clampposts by which the holder is attached to the dash-board. Fig. 7 is a detail view of one of the toggle-lever acting spring-jaws which pinch or hold the reins. Fig. 8 is a modification, and Fig. 9 a cross-section on line 9 9 of Fig. 8.

In said drawings, A represents the framepiece, box, or case in or upon which the toggle-lever-acting rein -holding jaws B B are mounted. The part- A is provided with a transverse vertical slot, a, wide enough to receive the reins O O, and it is preferably made in about the form indicated in the drawings, one of the vertical sides being in the form of a double ogee curve and the other straight. The box or case A is preferably made in three separate pieces, the curved side, top, andbottom being cast in one piece, and the straight side being composed of two short plates, A A. The plates A A of the box have dovetail edges a a, which fit in corresponding dovetail grooves, a a formed at the edge of the top and bottom parts of the box or case A. The

the space of the vertical slot (1, a short shoulder, a, being left for the ends of the plates A A to abut against. As the plates A A do not quite meet at the middle of the box, the space between their adjacent ends forms the transverse vertical slot a in this wall or side of the box- The curved part of the box A is furnished at each end with wide grooves b, in which the spring toggle-levers B B fit, so that the plates A" A may fit flush against the straight ends of the curved part A of the box. Bolts or screws 1) pass through the parts A A of the box and through a slot, b, in the flat springs B, and thus hold the parts of the box securely together and firmly clamp the flat springs B betwcenthem. The slots 1)" in the ends of the toggles or springs B B serve to permit the adjoining ends of the same to be adjusted closer together or farther apart, as may be necessary to properly receive and hold thick or thin reins.

The toggle rein-holders B B are preferably made, as before stated, of fiat springs, and

Fig. 2, so that they will normally remain about in the position indicated in said figure. These toggle-acting rein-holders B B are furnished at their adjoining ends with grip surfaces or cushions 12 of rubber or other somewhat soft yielding or elastic material, so as to better hold the reins and to prevent the surface of the reins being marred or injured. These cushion or grip faces I) may be conveniently secured on the ends of the flat springs Bby cross-plates b b, of thin sheet metal, and rivets If, two or more of which should extend through the rubber cushion b The ends of the box or frame A are furnished with dovetail tenons b, which fit in groove a in the bottom does not extend across they should be curved about as indicated in longitudinal dovetail grooves (1, formed in the posts or attach merit-pieces D, so that said box 'may be readily and firmly secured to said posts. The posts D are furnished with two clips, d, adapted to fit astride the dash-board F, to which said clips are secured by bolts or rivets d The clips (1 are furnished with a curve or enlargement, (1 to fit the top rail, f, of the dash-board F.

In the modification shown in Fig. 8 the posts D are provided wit-h a dovetail groove, (1*, instead of and as an equivalent for the clips d. In this construction the dash-board is provided with a rectangular recess at its top, in which the frame or box A tits, the top rail, f, of this dash-board being bent down at right angles, and thus forming guidesf, which fit in the dovetail groove (1*.

In operation, the lines 0 being placed in the slot a of the frame between the ends of the toggle-acting rein-holders B B, the least forward movement of the reins will pull the levers B B forward into the position. indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 2, when they will firmlypinch orgrip thereins between them,and thusholdthem. Asthe togglesBBaresprings, they of course remain normally in their retracted position, ready to receive the reins between them. The rubber or elastic cushions b b serve to cause the toggle reinholders B.

B to readily take hold, so to speak, of the reins, and to prevent any slipping of the reins through them before they are drawn forward into position to firmly grip the reins.

It is preferable, of course, to employ two toggle rein-holders, B B; but one of them may be omitted, and the other will then operate to clamp the reins against the rigid wall of the slot a, and thus hold the reins.

I claim- 1. The rein'holder consisting in the combination of a suitable frame with a toggle-acting rein clamping lever mounted thereon, said clampinglever being provided with a yielding cushion on its end to bear against the reins, substantially as specified.

2. The combination, with a box or frame having a transverse vertical slot, of a pair of toggle-acting rein-clamping spring levers or jaws furnished with yielding cushions on their ends, substantially as specified.

3. The combination, with a box formed of part A, with plates A A'dovetailed thereto, and provided with a transverse vertical slot, at, of toggle-acting spring rein-holders B B, substantially as specified.

4. The combination, with a box formed of part A, with plates A A dovetailed thereto, and provided with a transverse vertical slot,

a, of toggleaeting spring rein-holders B B, furnished with cushions I)" b at their adjoining ends, substantially as specified.

5. The combination, with a box formed of part A, with plates A A dovetailed thereto, and provided with a transverse vertical slot, a, of toggle-acting spring rein-holders B B, furnished with cushions b b at their adjoin ing ends, and attachment posts D D, furnished with dovetail grooves d, said box having dovetail tenons at its ends fitting in said grooves, substantially as specified.

6. The combination, with a box formed of part A, with plates'A A dovetailed thereto, and provided with a transverse vertical slot,

(1, of toggle-acting spring rein-holders B B, furnished with cushions b b at their adjoining ends, and attachment-posts D D, furnished with dovetail grooves d, said box having dovetail tenons at its end fitting in said grooves, and said posts D being provided with clips d d, for securing the same to the dash board, substantially as specified.

7. The rein-holder consisting of a pair of toggleacting levers furnished with cushions on their adjoining ends to bear against the 8 reins, substantially as specified.

8. The combination, with posts D, adapted to be secured to the dash-board and provided with dovetail grooves d, of a rein-holder frame having ends furnished with tenons to fit in go said dovetail grooves, substantially as specified.

FREDERICK W. C. MACDONALD.

WVitnesses:

EDMUND ADCOCK, H. M. MUNDAY. 

